India vs Australia, 4th Test Day 3: Bowlers shine as India move closer to series win

Dharamsala: Bowlers came to party India tightened their grip on the Border-Gavaskar Trophy after bundling out Australia for 137 runs and setting up the chase of 106-run target by scoring 19 without losing any wickets on Day 3 of the fourth and final Test of the series here on Monday.

After Wriddhiman Saha and Ravindra Jadeja’s gritty batting helped India secure 32-run lead, Indian bowlers put up one of their bowling performances as Steve Smith and Co crumbled.

While the spinning duo of R Ashwin (3/29) and Ravindra Jadeja (3/24) scalped three wickets each, it was Umesh Yadav (3/29), who set the stage on fire with his breathtaking bowling spell which had pace, bounce, accuracy and more importantly wickets to show against his name.

The Vidarbha pacer got the better off David Warner, Matt Renshaw and Nathan Lyon while pace-bowling partner Bhuvneshwar Kumar (1/27) dismissed Smith after the Australian skipper dragged a short and wide ball onto the stumps to end a what could be one of the best series he had as a batsman.

While Glenn Maxwell and Peter Handscomb showed resistance with a 56-run partnership, Ajinkya Rahane’s brilliance in the slip cordon ended Handscomb’s innings before Jadeja removed Shaun Marsh on the stroke of tea interval.

India 19/0 from 6 overs:

STUMPS! India cap off what was a fine day on the field by not losing a wicket and allowing Australia a hope of pulling off a stunning win. The openers KL Rahul and Murali Vijay safely negotiated the tricky 6 overs before stumps. India should have it easy tomorrow as they look to clinch the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

India 12/0 from 1 over:

India off to a flying start as KL Rahul sends three balls across the boundary rope. Australia can't afford this while defending a score just over 100.

Australia 137 all out;

WICKET! R Ashwin has trapped Josh Hazlewood before the wicket as India bundle out Australia for 137. India need 106 runs to win the Dharamsala Test and clinch the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. But before the hometeam looks too far ahead, they will need to negotiate some tricky over before stumps on Day 3.

Australia 122/9 from 50.3 overs:

WICKET! Umesh gets his 3rd wicket as Nathan Lyon edges one to Murali Vijay, who was standing in the second slip. India have thumped Australia in their final batting outing in this series.

Australia 121/8 from 49.2 overs:

WICKET! Steve O'Keefe departs. Jadeja scalps his 3rd wicket as Pujara takes another fine catch at silly point.

Australia 121/7 from 48 overs:

WICKET! Ravindra Jadeja picks up his second wicket of the innings, as Pat Cummins edges it straight to Ajinkya Rahane at first slip.

Australia 106/6 from 32.3 overs:

WICKET! R Ashwin removes Glenn Maxwell. Marais Erasmus adjudges Maxwell out LBW after the Australian does not offer a shot. Maxwell reviews and the third umpire stays with on-field call. Australia 6 down.

Australia 92/5 from 25.3 overs:

WICKET and IT'S TEA! Ravindra Jadeja has dismissed Shaun Marsh and players go in for tea. India's session this is and they have taken some big strides to win this Test.

Australia 87/4 from 24.3 overs:

WICKET! Skipper leading from the front. Ajinkya Rahane takes a fine catch in the slips, R Ashwin gets his 2nd wicket of the match as Peter Handscomb edges one to the slip.

Australia 71/3 from 18 overs:

Glenn Maxwell is on the charge as Peter Handscomb continues to defend as the exciting season is around 30 minutes away from getting over. Will India manage to get a wicket or two more or will it be Australia who will add some quick runs?

Australia 31/3 from 9.2 overs:

WICKET! Umesh Yadav is on fire. Matt Renshaw departs. He looked out of sorts as Umesh and Bhuvi troubled him and now he edges one to Wriddhiman Saha. Australia 3 down, India chipping away.

Australia 31/2 from 8.3 overs:

WICKET! Oh, wait! What just happened! Stumps cartwheeling! And it is Steve Smith who is walking back towards the dressing room without scoring a hundred or at least a fifty. Huge wicket. A game changing one, in fact.

Australia 10/1 from 3.1 overs:

WICKET! David Warner gets out. Umesh Yadav strikes as Wriddhiman Saha makes no mistake holding on to an easy catch. Karun Nair must be a relieved man.

Australia 10/0 from 2.2 overs

DROPPED! Karun Nair, for the second time in this match, has dropped David Warner off Bhuvneshwar Kumar. What's going on here!

India all out for 332

WICKET! Lyon has five and Kuldeep Yadav gets out caught in the deep.

India 318/9 from 114.1 overs:

WICKET! Ripper from Cummins as Saha departs and yes, it is that man Steve Smith again who has taken a brilliant catch diving backwards. You just can't keep him out of the game. Can you?

India 318/8 from 113.5 overs:

WICKET! O'Keefe strikes for the first time in this innings. Bhuvneshwar departs for zero. Smith has taken another fine catch in slip.

India 317/7 from 112.1 overs:

WICKET! End of Jadeja's innings as he drags a Pat Cummins delivery onto the stumps. His innings could set up this match for India.

India 302/6 from 109 overs:

India in lead and fifty for Ravindra Jadeja. The sword celebration is out. What a fine knock this is when team needed it. Well played, Jadeja.

India 285/6 from 104 overs:

Australia are slowing down India's run-rate but they have not managed to get a wicket this morning in the first hour on Day 3.

India 279/6 from 100 overs:

Unbeaten fifty-run partnership between Jadeja and Saha. How India needed it and how Australia did not. The runs have come quickly in the last couple of overs. India 21 runs away from Australia's 300.

India 260/6 from 97 overs:

Some good pace bowling from Australia but Saha and Jadeja are up and ready for the fight. India 40 runs away from Australia's first-innings total.

India: 248/6 from 91.1 overs:

Drama straightway! On the first ball of day's play, umpire Marais Erasmus adjudges Ravindra Jadeja out caught behind. Jadeja reviews the decision straightway. There's a gap between bad and pad, decision changed. Jadeja survives.

Dharamsala: The fight for first-innings lead, which may help a side to secure a potential upper hand in the fourth and final Test, will begin as India’s overnight batsmen – Wriddhiman Saha and Ravindra Jadeja – take field against Australia on Day 3 of the Test here on Monday.

After India managed to wrap up Australian innings for 300 on Day 1 following debutant Kuldeep Yadav’s four-wicket haul, Australia have made a strong comeback into the Test courtesy Nathan Lyon’s four-for on Day 2. Despite the fifties from KL Rahul and Cheteshwar Pujara, Steve Smith-led side managed to restrict India at 248/6 at stumps on Day 2.

While India will bank on Saha, Jadeja and lower order’s batting heroics to secure at least a 100-run lead, Australia will be eager to dash India’s plans of big lead as Day 3 of the Test.